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Researchers have found another substance in red meat that can clog the arteries over time.

The substance, called carnitine, is turned into a compound known to harden arteries as bacteria in the gut break it down. What’s more, people who eat a lot of red meat allow more of the bacteria that convert carnitine to the harmful compound to grow, increasing its effect.

Previous research has shown that high levels of meat-eating are linked to cardiovascular risk, due in part to saturated fats and cholesterol.

But those components alone enough to explain the difference in heart disease between meat eaters and vegans or vegetarians. This study, which takes into account the differences in the stomach’s inhabitants, may begin to explain the difference.